FDA warns microdose chocolate may lead to seizures

People across four states have fallen ill after eating Diamond Shruumz-brand microdosing chocolate bars, the Food and Drug Administration warned. 

The victims reported a variety of severe symptoms, including seizures, central nervous system depression, agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea and vomiting, the agency said Friday. Six of the eight victims needed to be hospitalized after eating the chocolate, which is sold nationwide. The full list of retailers selling the chocolate bars is unknown, the FDA said.

The FDA said it is working to determine the cause of the illnesses. According to the company's website, the chocolate bars are made with a "primo proprietary blend of nootropic and functional mushrooms."

The FDA warned against eating any flavors of Diamond Shruumz microdosing chocolate bars. The agency noted that the product, which can be bought online and at retail locations, may appeal to kids and teens because it's marketed as a candy.

The FDA in 2022 described nootropics as "a term widely used to market unapproved products as 'smart drugs' and 'cognitive enhancers.'"

"Parents and caregivers should consider discussing the information in this advisory with their children and take extra care to avoid this product being consumed by younger people," the FDA wrote on Friday. 

The last reported case was on June 3. Two of the victims were sickened in Indiana, while one person fell ill in Nevada and another was sickened in Pennsylvania, the FDA said. Four of the victims were in Arizona. Some victims had to be intubated, according to a release from the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center in Arizona. 

"While these products claim to contain only natural ingredients and no scheduled drugs, there is clearly something toxic occurring," Steve Dudley, director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, said in the Banner news release. "We've seen the same phenomenon of people eating the chocolate bar then seizing, losing consciousness, and having to be intubated."

CBS has reached out to Diamond Shruumz for comment. 

Aliza Chasan

Aliza Chasan is a Digital Content Producer for "60 Minutes" and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.

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